My Delicate Flower
by xDeathly-Angelx
Summary: When Rufus meets Tifa in the park one day, he knows that there's something she's hiding. He's determined to find out what it is and help her. But will he be too late?
1. Prologue: The First Meeting

**My Delicate Flower**

**Prologue: The First Meeting**

**A/N: **_So guys, I have decided to try and make a story that is first person and heartfelt. Therefore, not everyone having fun, drinking and then sleeping with random people afterwards. This story is ACTUALLY a story and I'm determined to make it good._

**Warning: **_Some kinda light abusive things, swearing, sexual references, strong OOCness and actual lemon in later chapters. _

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own any of the profitable products for this company. Man if I did..._

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_Your beautiful scent is still fresh in my memory,  
Your dark eyes intense, how you looked right through me.  
I never wanted it to end, how sweet you overpowered,  
Your beautiful scent is still fresh in my memory, my delicate flower._

How could a girl like that look so innocent? They didn't make them like that anymore these days. The moment they entered the cruel, real world outside their childhood, they were scarred and nothing could bring them back to what they once were. It was too late.

Yet there she sat, chocolate brown hair shielding her eyes and there were no other words to describe it. She was innocent. She didn't even look up when he sat down, purposely managing to just touch her uncovered leg with his covered one. Not a movement. If it was a game of Statues, she would have won hands down. But no matter what they said, life wasn't a game.

Did he dare talk to her knowing that she probably wouldn't reply? Rejection. He'd accept it if he was hit with it. If he knew how to accept it. He wasn't the type of guy to usually get rejected for anything.

But his father had always taught him to act on his instincts. He had never quite seen why he had to keep having the same phrase jammed into his head until he could remember it perfectly. But would he act on it perfectly?

"You look deep in thought? May I ask what you are thinking about?" Something simple to start the conversation. Nothing to deep at the moment. He had to build her trust a little first.

"Sorry?" she asked, confused.

"I said, you look deep in thought. What's up?" Cue for her looking away in the other direction. Was she trying to hide something?

"Oh, you know. Just things. Nothing too important". Yeah right. He could bet his arm and leg that whatever was occupying her thoughts was worth the time of day. Or maybe she was the type of girl who got distracted easily and seemed to make everything into an unnecessary drama?

"Okay. Although I don't believe that it's nothing".

She laughed. Such a beautiful sound against the silence of the atmosphere. But at least he'd got a reaction. The one he was hoping for.

All was silent again. It seemed like she didn't want to be the one to start a conversation but would happily be involved in it if required of her.

"What are you doing here? Do you want some fresh air or is it something else?"

He was so surprised that she had replied that he almost couldn't speak. Almost. "Yeah, something like that. I feel I can only really clear my head outside".

_A mere nod in reply._ "Well you didn't answer my question. Why do you like the park?"

She took a while to answer and when she did, he knew she was being sincere. "Because in the park, I can forget about everything and just be me".

He didn't know what she meant exactly, but he got the vague idea. There was silence again as each engaged in their own thoughts. It was quiet, but it was peaceful. But was that enough for him?

"You are so beautiful, do you know that?" he asked her. She sighed sorrowfully in response.

"I haven't heard that in a while" she murmured. At first, he thought she was being sarcastic, but her face was as serious as ever. What life did this girl live?

"Are the guys around here blind or something?" he asked incredulously.

The girl laughed gently. "No, I don't think it's that. I just don't get out much, that's all".

Rufus said nothing. He could tell that she was hiding something but he reckoned she would close up if he asked her about it. So he remained silent.

The girl stood up, looking worriedly at her watch. "I must be going now before I get in trouble". she laughed half-heartedly at that. "I'll see you around, I guess..."

She began to walk towards the entrance of the park while Rufus watched her. He realised that he didn't know her name. He had to know it! He ran to join her and she looked surprised to see him again.

"Before you leave, please, what is your name? I am Rufus, by the way" he grinned shyly at her. She smiled back, eyes tight with hidden worries.

"My name is Tifa" she told him. "Tifa Lockheart. I'll see you...Rufus". Her voice was like music. Rufus shook himself out of his reverie but it was too late. She was already gone. But that wouldn't be the last time he saw her. Rufus was determined to make sure it wasn't.

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_So, what does everyone think about this story so far? I reckon it's going to be a really good one and I'm excited about the prospects. Next chapter will be up shortly._


	2. With That Little Piece of Info

**Chapter 2: With That Little Piece of Info**

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Tifa or Rufus. I do own the three kiddiwinks, auntie and uncle though. And the odd random animal that happens to pass into the story..._

_Your anger like a whisper,  
Your cry like a chime,  
Granting me unlimited wishes,  
Especially the one where I wish you were mine._

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**Tifa's POV**

I didn't want to leave him but I had no choice. He wasn't aware of how my life was. How strict it was living with my aunt and uncle and cousins. I wasn't treated like a human. To them, I was a pack donkey, something they could work no matter how tired I got. Now I know what _Cinderella _felt like, having to clean up after her Ugly Stepsisters. My father used to read me that story when I was younger. It was my favorite story so whenever I couldn't sleep, he would always read it to me. My favorite part was the part when Cinderella went to the ball, looking beautiful and everyone was sucking up to her, even her step-sisters. But, the reason I loved the story the most, was because it had a happy ending. Cinders got to be with the handsome prince and live happily ever after. Happy. So many people take that for granted. Just because the shoes that they want aren't in stock or they have a minor argument with someone they love, they are distraught. They think they have the worse lives ever. But, until they are being beaten, or properly slaved or abused in some other way, their lives are basically perfect.

I reached my aunt and uncle's house. I refused to call it my house. I didn't look at it that way. It was just a place I was forced to stay in until I was old enough to look after myself. I knew I was perfectly capable of looking after myself at this age, 16. I mean, I looked after five other people in the household _as well as _myself. But because of some stupid laws, I had to be 17 before they let me escape. That meant one more year of capture until I was finally freed. I planned on leaving on the morning of my 17th birthday. Forget all the celebrations. They wouldn't give me a party anyway. They hadn't for the last six years I had been living with them for. My aunt would give my cousins the nicest birthday parties, with gigantic cakes and balloons and music and party food. I got nothing, not even the acknowledgement that I was a year older. But it didn't bother me anymore. I had trained my brain to get used to it.

I went through the back door that they always kept unlocked for the cat to come into. The house was still empty, just like when I left it. The children were at school, my uncle was at work. He was always working to make money for the household. At nighttime sometimes, I heard him and my auntie arguing about how much work he did. My aunt said he should do more and make more money. My uncle says that if he worked any harder, he'd be dead. They try and keep the volume as low as possible to avoid their "precious angels" waking up. They didn't care if I heard or not but if I did, they made sure that I didn't spread what I'd heard. I wouldn't dare. Being beaten for disobeying wasn't the greatest feeling.

The house was still tidy from when I left it. Thank goodness. I really wasn't in the mood to clean up yet again. I made my way up into the bedroom that I shared with Wendi. I had the cramped single bed in the corner while she had the pretty princess bed. I sighed softly and reached under my pillow for my diary. It was there. I pulled it out and sat cross-legged on my bed, taking a pen out of my pocket. I always found time to write in my diary no matter what. It seemed to be the only part of me that remained alive when I was here. I was always careful to hide it, I knew how nosy my male cousins could be. They loved to get me upset. Wendi was different. She seemed to dislike her brothers as much as I did, because they annoyed her as well. She was the quiet one out of the three, at thirteen and a half years old. And she was also my aunt and uncle's absolute favorite. They gave her everything she wanted. After that, they liked Clenjor, followed by Sigfried. It was easy to tell where I came. Absolutely rock bottom. Opening my diary to a new page, I began to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_Life, as usual, is still exactly the same. There's a mess, they demand I clean it up. Something unsatisfactory that needs doing, they demand I do it. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to. But that's probably because I'm used to it now. Six years is enough to get used to anything, even being treated as the maid. The maid that doesn't get paid, which basically makes me a slave. Ha!_

_I met someone really interesting today. His name was Rufus. I was in the park, while everyone was out the house. I always do my best thinking in the park. it's the only place where I can think what I want without anyone coming to interrupt me. But today, it was different. I was thinking about what I would do when I left the hellhole for good (just a year more to go) when he came and sat next to me. I could tell straight away that he was watching me, fascinated by me, dare I say it. He finally seemed to pluck up the courage to talk to me. And I'm glad that he did. His voice was amazing. It sounded just like music and when I looked at him, he was so beautiful. He had blond hair that was slicked back. Bright blue eyes that looked compassionate and lovely full lips that could give the most amazing smile. I wanted to be his friend so much but I knew that if my aunt ever found out, it would be hell to pay. And trust me, they would make me pay it. Still, I think I might try at least. Maybe, I'll see him again one day. I'll be wishing for it. Wishing for it more than I've wished for anything for a long, long time._

_Write to you soon diary,_

_Tifa xxx_

I closed the book and hid it back under my pillow. Looking at the clock, I could see that it was time to start getting dinner ready. I was making spaghetti bolognese tonight, which I knew was the witch's favorite. The boys ate just about anything that was shoved in front of them, as long as it wasn't green. Wendi was different. She was a very picky eater and even if she did like it, she would eat extremely slowly, picking at the food as if it was poisonous.

I put the food on the hob to simmer, while I prepared the dessert for later. By the time the clock struck 4 o'clock, I was dishing out the last plate of food. I heard a key in the front door. They were home. The two male monsters thundered upstairs, roaring and laughing. Wendi walked into the kitchen, her school shoes clicking on the floor. She wrinkled her nose as she smelt the meal.

"Yuck I_ hate_ spag bol!" she moaned, making a face in disgust. I ignored her, as I usually did when she started things like this. Finally, the witch came into the room. She smiled when she smelt the dinner.

"Oh good, spaghetti" she said to no one in particular. She finally seemed to see me and her face became disdainful. "Well Tifa, what are you waiting for? Get Clenny and Siggy downstairs immediately for dinner!"

I said nothing in reply. She would call it answering back if I did anyway. Making my way up the stairs, I turned towards the source of the noise. Clenjor and Sigfried's room. Not bothering to knock (they wouldn't hear me anyway, with the amount of noise they were making) I opened the door.

"Come down and get dinner, it's spaghetti bolognese". The eldest, Clenjor, made a face.

"I don't like your cooking. It stinks!" he shouted. Sigfried burst into laughter at that.

Trying to compose myself, I took deep breaths. It would be no good flying off the handle. They would call their mum anyways and then guess what? Smack!

"Well, we have jello and ice cream for dessert!" I tried to entice him. His face immediately brightened up and soon they were racing downstairs. I followed them, throwing my apron onto my bed on the way. By the time I got to the kitchen, the family were all seated around the table and were tucking into their meal. I took my place at the table and began to eat my portion. Sometimes, I glanced up at the faces around the table. The boys were stuffing their mouths with spaghetti, lips greasy with mince sauce. My aunt was also wolfing it down, but she had managed to keep her face clean. Wendi was just picking at it, bringing strings of spaghetti up to her mouth for her to suck up. They all finished long before me, burping loudly and wiping their faces. I took that as my cue to clear the dishes away and bring the dessert out. Wendi gave me a small smile before excusing herself, most probably going to her...our bedroom. She rarely ever stayed for dessert unless it was something healthy. She told me that she didn't want to get fat like her mother.

"Hurry up girl! Can't you see we're waiting here?" My aunt growled, looking at me like I was something horrible on her shoe. I sighed and worked faster. Was this how life was always going to be for me? It sure felt like it...

**Rufus' POV**

I have to see Tifa again, I just have to. I can't get her out of my mind. My father noticed my failed attention at dinner.

"Did you hear what I just said, Rufus?" he asked me.

I blushed slightly. "Um, no. Sorry, I just have something on my mind".

My father smirked and raised one eyebrow. "And what would that "something" happen to be Rufus? I don't suppose it's a girl by any chance?" Damn, he knew me too well. There was no point in lying to him now so I just shrugged.

"What's wrong son? Someone caught your eye that doesn't like you back?" I shook my head. Did I really want to tell my father the whole story of Tifa Lockheart?

"I met this girl called Tifa. And she's not like any other girl I've ever met before. And I don't just mean in looks although she _is _beautiful. But she seems to be bottling up so much worries inside her. And she seemed in such a mad hurry to leave, although it was still early because she "might get in trouble". And she looked so lonely, dad. I just have to see her again!"

My father seemed to be taking this all in although I was talking rather fast. I do that when I'm frightened, upset or scared. He looked grim for a few seconds before answering. "Well find her son. That's the only thing you can do. If you are so desperate to see her again, and I can tell from your face that you are, you gotta find her".

He was telling me something I already knew. If I had the vaguest idea of _where _to find her, it would have been a little easier. But I had nothing, apart from her name. I didn't know who she lived with or anything else about her. But with just that bit of information, I was absolutely determined to find her. And I wouldn't stop until I did.

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**A/N: _I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. R&R for me please!!!_**


	3. The Pursuit of Happiness

**Chapter 3: The Pursuit of Happiness**

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own any SqaureEnix characters but I do own auntie, uncle, kiddies and anyone else who isn't in FFVII._

_We belong to each other,  
We will love for all existence,  
No one will ever break us apart,  
We will never been broken by mild hindrance._

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**TPOV**

_Dear Diary,_

_Oh my gosh! I was trying to sleep, all cuddled up in my thin duvet. Then, Wendi walks in in just a towel. Her mobile starts ringing and she hurries to answer it. She was obviously expecting someone. The way she is talking into the cell is weird. Almost like she was talking to a lover or something. I strained my ears to listen, since she was talking so quietly. She said things about meeting the person tomorrow and that she was looking forward to it. And then she said "Bye Johnny" and I knew she was talking to a boy. She even blew kisses down the phone! It's weird to think that Wendi has a boyfriend. That she would go against her parents' orders. But then, she probably thought that if they ever found out, she would get away with it. And the sad thing is, she probably would._

_Then, she lay on her princess bed, sighing a lot. And when she eventually fell asleep, she starting murmuring "Johnny!" It was quite funny actually. I had to muffle my giggles with the quilt. But then, I felt sad because it got me thinking about Rufus. It's been a week since I first saw him. I even sneaked out to the park a few days ago to check if he was waiting there for me. He wasn't. I haven't a clue where he lives so I doubt I'll ever be able to find him again. Just my luck..._

The house was silent again. This was my favorite part of the day. When everyone is away and I'm free to do what I want. _Almost_ what I want. My mind keeps going back to Rufus no matter how much times I try and forget about him. "It's no use hanging onto something you can't have" my grandfather used to tell me. And I know that it's true. But I can't help it.

I don't have to cook today because Aunt Esmeralda (hence the term: Witch), is going to order some Wutaiian food in. I love Wutaiian food, it's so spicy and delicious. Surprisingly, this is one thing that Wendi and I agree on. I don't know why she isn't letting me do the cooking, although I can't say I'm unhappy about not doing it. Surprised is a better word.

But, there were still dishes to wash so I set to work, pushing my hands into the rubber gloves that I always kept on the side. I hummed a bit to take my mind of the fact that the house seemed a little _too _quiet. Famous last words. There was a loud screeching noise from upstairs that made me scream and drop the plate I was holding. It hit the ground hard, smashing into thousands of little pieces. I sighed and picked the bits up with my hands. I winced whenever one dug into my skin, making it bleed.

Unfortunately, my aunt chose this time to come home because she had forgotten her purse. I knew this because I'd seen her leave it on the kitchen table when she left to drop the children to school. I couldn't be bothered to run outside to give it back to her, so I'd left it, knowing that she was bound to come back for it later on. Esmeralda strolled into the kitchen, her three chins wobbling. She saw me picking up bits of China on the floor and gasped when she realised what I'd broken.

"You stupid girl! You broke my precious, antique saucer! You don't know how much that was worth, you worthless little brat! How dare you!" and with that said, she slapped me hard across the face. I ran upstairs determined not to let her see me cry. I rubbed my stinging cheek with the hand that wasn't splintered from the crockery. I let all my tears out in my room, sobbing almost uncontrollably after I heard her leave again. It wasn't just because of the slap. I suddenly felt a whole rush of things that I had kept bottled up for so long. Missing my parents and grandparents terribly, hating my life with my aunt and uncle, loathing the spoilt, bratty cousins, wishing I could be like normal girls, missing Rufus...

I opened my eyes after I was all cried out. There was a tapping sound coming from the window. I rushed over to see what it was. And then I gasped.

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**RPOV**

I finally did it! After almost a week of searching, I finally found the address. The address to Tifa's house. I knew that it was her house because hanging on the washing line were the clothes that she had worn when we were in the park when we first met.

I had made my decision to find her the day after my father had told me to look for her. I had no idea where to start. There were no "Lockhearts" in the phone book and none that lived near me. And even if whoever she lived with didn't have the same surname as her, if she had lived close enough to me, I would have known who she was without her having to tell me.

But, the park that I met her in is one of the only local ones around here for quite a distance. And I doubt that she would have walked a couple of miles just to sit on a park bench and bury her head. So I turned my search into the towns that surrounded the park.

None of the towns in this part of the country are very large. The biggest one probably housed 5,000 people, maximum. I managed to cover a town a day. By the third day and therefore, the third town, I was giving up hope of finding her. It was around 11am and the streets were basically empty. As I turned into a cul-de-sac, I saw one irate looking woman walking past. She was carrying a purse in her hand and her face looked miserable. I didn't want to ask _her_for directions to Tifa's house. No way! I decided to carry on walking until I reached the end of the cul-de-sac. By then, it was starting to rain and I didn't have an umbrella. But no way was I going to let precipitation stop me from finding Tifa. I looked around, at the various gardens that were currently empty. And that's when I saw it. Tifa's clothes hanging daintily on the line.

Excited now, because I very much doubted the coincidence of someone having _exactly_the same outfit as Tifa, I climbed over the wooden fence, making sure that the coast was clear before I climbed. The last thing I wanted was for someone to see me and think I was a burglar or something. I didn't know if she was in so I didn't go through the back door although it was slightly open. That would be too risky. I saw a tall tree in the garden. It looked like it would be fairly easy to climb and even better, one of its branches reached over to an upstairs window of the house. I couldn't see if it was open at the moment but I figured I'd give it a try.

And so, holding onto the lowest branch, I managed to swing myself acrobatically onto the next higher one. I did that for a while until I finally reached the same height as the window. I gingerly stepped on the branch to see if it would hold my weight. It felt strong enough to me. I got down onto my hands and knees and traversed the branch until I reached the glass. I could see regretfully that the window _was _indeed locked. And from the inside as well.

But wait a minute! There was movement coming from inside, I was sure of it. I watched again and saw a girl sitting on the bed farthest away from the window, wiping her hand across her face. It was Tifa! I was so excited that I almost fell of the branch. Steadying myself, I hammered on the window, trying desperately to catch her attention. The next thing I knew, she was at the glass and peering out. When she saw that it was me, her eyes widened in shock and she hurriedly unfastened the lock.

"Oh my god! Rufus, is that really you?" she asked, her voice just as beautifully harmonious as I had remembered it. She looked amazing, although one side of her face had an odd red mark on it and her eyes were brimming with unshed tears...

"Tifa, I'm so glad to see you! I've missed you so much. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to find your house. I just had to see you again bef-" I stopped when I saw one solitary tear drip down her porcelain face. "Tifa, what's wrong?" I asked her, concerned.

Those seemed to be the magic words to set her off sobbing. I opened the window as high as it would go and crept through the gap to comfort her. She leant her head against my stomach and seemed to be crying her heart out while I held her tightly. After a while, she stopped and looked up at me with her poor, red-rimmed eyes to give me the most beauteous smile I'd ever seen. I couldn't help but beam back, even though I was terribly worried about her.

"Please Tifa, tell me what's wrong" I said afterwards, sitting next to her on the edge of her bed. She had her head against my shoulder and I was stroking her silky, raven-black locks.

Tifa stalled a little, avoiding my gaze and instead becoming fascinated with the inexpensive bedsheets. I assumed that she wasn't going to answer me but she proved me wrong.

"Both my parents died when I was five" she started, still not looking me in the eyes. I said nothing, listening carefully instead. "And once they both died, I had to live with my grandparents. I didn't mind this, because although they were old-fashioned, they spoilt me and looked after me just as well as any parents would". She smiled sadly at the memory. "But then, when I was ten, my grandpa died of a heart attack. My grandmother grieved so much that she died of heartbreak two weeks later, leaving me alone again".

Gosh, I felt _so _sorry for her. She had really lived a hard life, losing so many people that she loved so dearly. But she hadn't finished yet.

"So, after my grandparents' funeral, it was decided that I should live with my auntie and uncle. I had only met them once before that, back when my grandparents were still alive, and I hadn't liked either of them much. But now, I was living with them and their three children. My cousins. Clenjor, Sigfried and Wendi. I didn't like them either, especially not the eldest one, Clenjor, because he is always teasing and annoying me. So, like I said, at the time, I went to live with them. And I'm still here now". She sniffed slightly. "And my auntie treats me so bad, Rufus. She hits me if I do the slightest thing wrong and I'm forced to be her slave. I do everything for this family. I cook, I clean, I wash, I dry-" her voice broke as more tears threatened to escape.

"I'm so happy that I found you" I whispered into her hair as she snuffled against my chest. "Now, I can help you escape this hellhole. I can't believe they would treat you like this. Your own family!".

Tifa made a snorting sound. "Well, my father and my uncle never did get along. And when he married "that stuck up cow", my father disliked him even more. But when my grandparents died, they were the only immediate family I had left. I knew from the beginning that they didn't want me. One night, I even heard my aunt telling my uncle that the only reason why she agreed to have me was because they paid her money to look after me each week.

I gasped, shocked at what she was telling me. For a split second, I contemplated if what she was telling me was the truth but I immediately kicked the unsureness out of my head. One look at her distraught face told me all I needed to know.

"And, I'm bound by law to live here until I'm 17. That's eleven months, 18 days and thirty-two hours from now" she looked at my surprised face and giggled. "Yeah, I've been counting down".

I couldn't believe it. No one deserved a life like this one. Especially not kind, dainty, innocent Tifa Lockheart. I understood exactly what they meant now when they say "Life's not fair. If it was, we'd all be happy". I knew I was never going to be able to make everyone in the world happy. But I could start with Tifa.

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_Gosh, this story is getting great, if i do say so myself. I believe that I'm doing well and writing quite quickly yet still giving it enough thought. R&R please!_


	4. Love is a Perculiar Thing

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Chapter 4: Love is a Perculiar Thing

**Disclaimer: _I don't own SquareEnix's characters. Oh and the "three things" speech that is written in Tifa's POV was kinda from Twilight but not. The same basic structure but my own words._**

_My pretty little petal, with her leaves so green,  
My pretty little petal, her face always clean,  
My pretty little petal has me completely hooked,  
My pretty little petal, please don't give me that look._

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**TPOV**

_Dear Diary,_

_I'm so happy, he found me! I had just been slapped by my aunt for breaking some precious family heirloom so I was in my room. And yes, I admit, maybe I was crying a little bit. Anyways, I heard a tapping on the window and it was Rufus! He told me that he had to see me again and so he had searched every town surrounding the park where we met in hope that he would find me. By the time he got to Nibelheimshire, the town where I live, he had already been searching for three days. I can't believe someone would go through that much trouble to see me again!_

_Anyways, I told him everything. I trust him 100% and he listened constantly and comforted me whenever I needed it. I knew he was shocked by what I was telling him. His face said it all. After I had finished, he vowed that he would find a way to get me out of here before I was 17. I doubted this, but I went along with it anyway. I wouldn't really mind staying here for the full-time, as long as I got to see Rufus regularly! I told him that and he gave me such a sweet smile, it made my heart jump and butterflies flutter in my stomach. I know that sounds like I'm a helpless romantic but that's just what it felt like._

_He told me that he'd come and visit me as soon as possible. I don't know when that's supposed to be but I hope it's soon. I already miss him and he's only been gone for 12 hours!_

When it came to Rufus, there were three things that I was absolutely, completely sure of. The first was that I knew he was quite rich. I didn't now exactly _how _rich, but he was rich enough to live in the poshest part in town. Secondly, if I wanted to be able to see him again, I was not to tell _anybody_about him and thirdly - and this one I was most certain about; I was inescapably, irrevocably and inexorably in love with him. And I wasn't sure how I felt about that fact. It felt weird, since I'd never been _in _love with someone before. Also, I didn't know if he felt the same way about me but I doubted it. He probably only came to find me because he felt bad. I would have done the same thing in his shoes. Wouldn't I?

The two wrinklies (my aunt and uncle) went out this evening. Apparently, they'll be back early in the morning. So that leaves me in charge of Clenjor and Sigfried. Great. I didn't know where they are going and I wasn't stupid enough to ask. After all, the witch was still upset at me for breaking her stupid saucer.

It's 4:10 in the afternoon and I'm cooking dinner for myself and the cousins. Wherever the wrinklies are going, they'll presumably eat there so I don't have to cook for them. I'm being made to make a layer cake for dessert because my aunt doesn't want her "precious" sons to "get too upset about mommy and daddy being absent". So I have to make them a treat. Oh please, give me a break. The only thing those boys' need is a beating. But the witch spoils them so much, it's unbelievable.

The key is in the door now and I can hear the boys' roaring like pack animals. I can take in their feet pounding on the carpet as they make their way upstairs to their dump of a bedroom. Of course, witchy doesn't hassle them about keeping their room tidy. No sir-ee. She doesn't care because that's my job. Making sure that everything in the house remains spotless.

I automatically touch my still-painful cheek as my aunt bustles into the kitchen, her wide nostrils sniffing the air.

"What are you cooking?" she asks me in a hard voice. She looks at the bubbling pot in distaste.

"It's Paella. A Spanish dish. My grandmother used to make it for me before-" I stopped short, not willing to say anymore in case I burst into tears in front of her. She ignored by sudden rush of emotion and poked a fork rudely into the saucepan.

"Bleurgh!" she cried, throwing the fork haphazardly into the nearby sink. It clattered off the crockery with a loud bang. She looked at me through narrowed eyes. "Why are you cooking my children this? It's smells horrible! Take it off and make them some proper food!"

I sighed and took the pot off the fire. Why did she have to judge like that? Paella was delicious. But no, if my auntie doesn't like the smell of food, it's supposedly going to be disgusting. I could feel my temper rising in sync with the pot and it took all my willpower not to dump the boiling hot water over her head.

She screwed me one last time before heading upstairs muttering to herself about what she was going to wear. I reached into the cupboard for some flour. I was going to make steak and kidney pie to go with the leftover rice I had. And if they complained about this, I swear, I would force it down their throats...

**RPOV**

She was constantly in my head and I couldn't get her out of it. Not that I'd want to, of course. My father immediately noticed the change in me when I came home from Tifa's house.

"You found her, did you son?" he asked me, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Yeah" I told him. "And we had a good, long conversation. It was very interesting".

My father guffawed. "Yeah, I bet it was" he told me with a wink. "Just as interesting as the kissing that followed afterwards, right?"

I could feel color rising to my cheeks. "We didn't kiss" I told him disdainfully. "You might not have treated girls respectfully when you were younger, dad, but it's different in this day and age".

Instead of feeling humiliated, like a normal person would, my father just smirked at me some more. "Yeah well, with your looks, I knew you would get the ladies swooning over you like a bear around a honeypot". He grinned at me before punching my shoulder "affectionately". "All I'm asking is that you remember to use protection, alright Rufus?"

I rolled my eyes at his crass comment. He really did think I had no appreciation for women at all. That I just used them and then put them away until next time. Well that's where he was wrong. Either way, It was different with Tifa. I didn't know how to describe it, but I could feel it in my stomach. A good feeling. A feeling that I'd never experienced before. Although I didn't know exactly what it was, I had a vague idea. It was love.

* * *

**TPOV**

When dinner was over, Clenjor and Sigfried remained seated, obviously waiting for dessert. Like usual, the only way I had gotten them to sit "calmly" at the table when their mother wasn't around was by bribing them. With layer cake. Wendi had excused herself, instead muttering that she was going upstairs to have a bath.

I served the monsters' their dessert and went upstairs to my bedroom. I wanted to get further into the book I was reading. It was about a girl who had fallen in love with someone totally unsuitable and so her parents had forbidden her from seeing him. I could empathize with the character totally. There was nothing wrong with Rufus, but because he was male, he was immediately counted as unsuitable. I was interrupted by Wendi tapping me on the shoulder. I looked up, knowing that the annoyance was easily readable on my face.

"You've got to go and look after the boys. They're having a food fight. The kitchen is a mess!"

I groaned and scooted off the bed. I looked back to see what Wendi was doing and gasped. "Wendi, what are you wearing?"

Her hair was loose and wavy down her back. She was wearing a lot of makeup, particularly foundation and eyeliner and her lips were coated with lip-gloss. She had on a T-shirt with a _very_plunging neckline that barely covered her prominent breasts. On her legs, she wore a denim mini-skirt that was so short, it hardly covered her panties. If she was wearing any. I looked down and noted that she had on heeled boots tha ran halfway up her calf. She looked crazy, she looked adult. She looked like a slut.

Her heavily made up cheeks burned under my stare. "I-I'm just messing around and trying things on. Don't you ever do that?"

She already knew the answer to that one. Of course I never did that. If I had enough time on my hands I might. Oh, and if I owned any garments worthy enough to be called clothes. And I didn't. I couldn't remember the last time I had gotten new clothes.

Wendi turned her back on me and I suddenly remembered the brats in the kitchen. I could hear them now, screaming and laughing. I raced down the stairs, almost tripping on the string of my apron which had become undone. I leapt into the kitchen and almost fainted at the sight. Clenjor was balanced dangerously on top of the dining table, dirtying the tablecloth horribly with his muddy trainers. His whole body was covered in jam and cream and he was brandishing a large slice of cake in one of his mucky hands. Sigfried was on his knees on the floor, trying to cover as much surfaces as possible with cake. He had done a good job so far as everything I could see had some of the sloppy mixture on it. When they saw me, Sigfried starting laughing hysterically and smearing more cream onto the ground. I ran over to get Clenjor off the rickety table before he fell but he decided he didn't want to be caught and threw the cake that was in his hand _onto my face._

Now, I know that I had said that I'd learnt to control my anger over the years but had gone way too far. I could feel jam dripping of my chin and creamy-crumbs in my hair. The boys seemed to find this hilarious and just stayed where they were, laughing hard, so hard that tears were streaming down their faces. That was it. My fuse completely snapped. I threw my head back and screamed as loud as I could, and I _know_ that I can scream loudly.

The boys' faces registered shock as they watched (and heard) me getting louder and more angry. They both looked at each other worriedly before doing one thing. Running. But I was ready for them. Diving along the ground, I managed to trip up Clenjor. While he was still lying on the floor, I picked him up and threw him over my shoulder. Yes, he was heavy and I was small but all that cleaning up mixed with the furious rage had seemed to give me mutant strength.

Sigfried, on the other hand was harder. Because he was smaller, he was swifter and more difficult to catch. But I had gone way beyond giving up now. He raced up the stairs and I followed, slower but still on his heels. Clenjor had given up fidgeting and now he was just whining loudly in my ear. I opened the door to their bedroom and pushed him inside, shutting the door firmly in his face. "If you value your life, you'll stay in there Clenjor" I hissed threateningly through the keyhole. "You wouldn't want me getting any angrier now, would you? Now be a good boy and take off your clothes. When I catch your brother, both of you are going straight in the bath, understand?" He didn't answer me but I could hear the squeak of him sitting on the bed.

Even though I couldn't see Sigfried at the moment, I knew exactly where he was. I could hear heavy breathing coming from the closet. Tiptoeing across the carpet, I flung open the door. He was in there alright, his face petrified and his eyes wide with fear. I immediately softened and held out my hand to him. "Now Sigfried, your brother has been a good boy and stayed in his room. Are you going to be a good boy?" He nodded and grasped my hand with his sticky one. I smiled encouragingly and pulled him out the closet and into the bathroom. I ran the bath and fixed him with my stare. "Now get changed and get ready. I'm going downstairs to clean that _mess _that you guys made. By the time I've finished, I want both of you to have already bathed and be in your jammies ready for bed. I want NO messing around. Do you understand?" he nodded quickly and hurriedly began to take his dirty T-Shirt off.

I didn't want to see the mess that the kitchen was in. But I knew there would be hell to pay if I just left it how it was. I sighed heavily as I made my way downstairs, feeling suddenly exhausted. Working almost non-stop did that kinda thing to a girl. I remembered hearing Wendi go downstairs towards the kitchen and I hadn't heard her come back up. What was she doing in there for so long? I made my way into the kitchen to find it completely empty. But that's not what caught my eye. The whole room was almost sparkling clean, with only faint traces of cream and jam sprinkled randomly around. I was amazed. Had Wendi done all this? I looked around the room in case she was hiding somewhere. Instead, I found a crumpled piece of paper on the worktop. I picked it up and began to read.

_To Tifa.  
__If you don't tell mum and dad that I left the house, I won't tell her about the kitchen and I'll make sure that the boys won't either. Also, your little outburst will be safe only in the thoughts of me and my brothers. It's up to you._

_Wendi._

I folded the note back up and placed it in my apron pocket. So Wendi had been all dressed up to go out. With Johnny no doubt. It was then that I felt the breeze from the open garden door. I went over to shut it and I was sure I caught a glimpse of Wendi atop a small motorbike with someone. She swung around and are eyes met at the same moment. She watched me for a second and then she turned back and the bike raced off into the night.

* * *

**_A/N: Sorry that Rufus's POV was so short in this chapter. It's just that I had more to write about with Tifa than I had with him. But next chap, Rufus is going to get his fair share of writing so don't worry!_**


End file.
